


Helping you breathe.

by crinklinglou



Series: And I'll Be There [1]
Category: One Direction
Genre: Asthmatic Harry, Canon Compliant, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Louis calls Harry baby a lot, M/M, Minor Gemma, Minor Liam, Panic Attacks, Protective Louis, Small Harry, Tall Louis, Yes Harry is smaller than Louis, inhaler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-24
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-04-01 00:41:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3999373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crinklinglou/pseuds/crinklinglou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry has an asthma attack, and Louis helps him breathe again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Helping you breathe.

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo this is shit, haha. It's literally the shortest one shot ever, but I really wanted to write a little asthmatic Harry with lots of fluff. And yes, Harry is smaller than Louis. Oh, how the tables turned. Hope you enjoy! x

Harry remembers the first time he had an attack. He was five years old, and was trying to get his toy out of Gemma's hands. She'd always find a way to annoy him, hiding toys from him, ruffling his hair, picking at his food while he wasn't looking. That afternoon, she'd decided it would be fun to snatch his power ranger from his hands and run away with it, making Harry groan and jump to his feet, trying to chase after her. 

After running up and down the stairs, entering, then running out of the kitchen multiple times and chasing each other in circles, Gemma giggling and Harry whining, Harry started to lose his breath. He'd always get tired after running or playing with his friends, but his mum had never really paid attention to it, she attributed it to Harry being smaller than the rest of them.

He stopped for a little bit, pressed a hand on his chest and took deep breaths, but it only seemed to make it worse. His chest tightened, and his breath started to fasten. He couldn't get air through. The last thing he remembers is a confused Gemma calling for their mother and frantic hands all over his head. He doesn't remember much after that, but his mum told him it got very bad, 'till the point where his lips and nails started to turn blue. The paramedics got there in time though, and got Harry to breathe normally again. 

After that, his mum became a little paranoid about it, she wouldn't let him out to play with his friends for a while, made him wear tons of coats in the winter time and always made him keep his inhaler close.

Even though his asthma attacks are rare, Harry made sure the boys knew about it, since being on stage always makes his breathing agitated. The adrenaline rushing through his veins making him jump around, but his airways normally thinking otherwise. They'd developed a little sign system, just in case Harry ever did have an asthma attack. It was quite simple, if he ever felt like he needed his inhaler, he'd throw a side-ways thumbs up at them and wiggle it. The boys would ask the body guards at the front of the stage to pass the inhaler and then they'd give it to Harry, making it all quick and easy. 

Even though this had only happened once, and everything had gone well, Louis insisted on carrying one in his pocket, because "What if they don't get you the inhaler on time, babe? You might die!" Harry had just chuckled, had kissed Louis until he stopped whining and assured him that everything was going to be fine. He didn't really pay attention to his asthma, it was something minimal for him, but as soon as Louis had heard about it, he never took his eyes off Harry, always making sure he was okay. Harry thought he was exaggerating a bit, but if he was being completely honest, it was rather adorable. 

They were now in the middle of the Where We Are Tour, performing in Los Angeles and were having the best fucking time of their lives. Earlier that day, Harry had felt the familiar tightening feeling in his chest, but he'd ignored it, knowing that if he told Louis it would only get him worked up, and he'd been so happy lately that he really didn't want to erase the little pleased smile Louis was carrying. 

Before walking out on stage, Louis had pulled Harry away from the changing room and into the hall. They'd kissed for a few moments, Louis kissing the panic rising in Harry's head away. Even though he'd done this about a thousand times, he still felt the nervousness coiling in his tummy before going on stage, and of course Louis was always there to kiss it away. 

"You're going to do great, darling." he had said, looking down at Harry. Instantly, his panic calmed down, too focused on those hypnotizing blue eyes looking down at him. Harry loves when Louis looks at him that way, making him feel protected. He loves it when Louis pulls him closer, broad arms around his body, chin resting on top of Harry's head, Harry's face tucked into his neck. He had always been tiny, ever since he was a little kid. And kids at school would always pick on him about it. But Louis loves that about him, and Harry loves being little. It's not like he's that much tinier though, the top of his head levels with Louis' nose if they're standing together, but it makes him a little lightheaded, anyway. 

After kissing his nose and the top of his hair, he gave Harry a smile, crinkles beside his eyes. He laced his fingers with Harry's and pulled them to where the other boys were standing, waiting to get on stage.

The concert has been amazing, and Harry thinks it's probably one of their best gigs this tour. After "Truly Madly Deeply", he starts feeling his chest tighten a little more than how it'd felt throughout the concert and he concentrates on keeping the attack down. He only has to wait for one more song and then there's costume change, he'd take his inhaler there. Only one more song. 

As the music of "One Thing" starts, he feels his chest constrict and pain shoots up from his lungs, making him cringe. He doesn't make a big deal about it, just presses at his chest with his knuckles, and tries not to think too much about it. He catches a glimpse of Louis throwing him a worried look, but he just smiles a what he thinks is a reassuring smile, and turns to shout the lyrics into his microphone, jumping a bit. 

When he shouts the lyrics a little louder, bouncing around as he does so, he feels the pain shoot from his lungs again, this time harder, and he presses his hand tighter onto his chest. His breathing starts to agitate a little, and when his solo starts he's too short on breath, so he doesn't sing. Liam picks up on it quick, though. The boys know Harry sometimes needs to catch his breath a little, so there's times where they help him sing his parts.

Besides the worried look Louis had thrown his way before, no one is paying attention to why he isn't singing anymore. Even Louis hasn't realized, too caught up in a conversation with Zayn. After a couple of seconds, he feels his chest constrict again, this time the pain much worse and he feels the panic rise from the bottom of his belly all the way to his head. He can't have an asthma attack, not here. 

He starts to wheeze, and he's suddenly losing balance, and he tries, tries so hard to get someone's attention, to throw the boys the sign, but no one seems to notice him. The wheezing gets louder, he can't get enough air through his lungs, and he's terrified. Bloody terrified because he's going to die, he's going to fucking die. His eyes prickle with tears and he slowly faces away from the crowd, bends down, and places his hands on his knees. White dots blur his vision, and he needs to breathe. He needs to breathe and he wants Louis and where the fuck is everyone? Where is Louis?

He slowly turns his head, wheezing ten times louder, and almost cries when he sees the look of concern painted on Louis' face. As soon as they lock eyes, Louis sprints to Harry, and Harry wants to cry because he loves Louis. Louis who is always there, Louis who with only one touch can make all of the pain and panic disappear. He feels a pair of hands on his back, and he melts into the touch, managing to let out a heart-wrenching sob out of his mouth. Louis rubs his back and leans down to face him.

"It's okay baby, it's okay. I'm going to carry you okay, love? Make it all better for you." Louis says. Harry nods, and then strong arms are picking him up.

Harry's crying now, and it's making his breathing a lot more worse, but it doesn't matter because Louis is an angel. He's convinced Louis is a fucking angel, with his baby blue eyes and his adorable fringe, with his fragile fingers and tender touches. He looks up at Louis, and he wants to say thank you, I love you, because he knows he's safe now, but all he manages to get out is a painful sound that sounds more like a mixture of a groan and a sob. 

"Shhh, darling. It's okay baby, I'm here. Hold on, okay? You'll be able to breathe in a bit, love, hold on for me." He says in that sweet, breathy voice that makes Harry want to jump around even when he feels like he's dying. 

Louis settles him on one of the couches there is backstage, and Harry can barely make out Louis yelling at everyone to "Back the fuck off!" and then he's looking at Harry, blue eyes full of worry, a frown framing his face. 

"Here baby, deep breaths, come on, deep breaths." He says, cradling the back of Harry's head with one hand, holding the inhaler to Harry's mouth with the other. Harry takes a deep breath, let's the medicine shoot through his airways, feeling his muscles open slowly, letting the air ease in again. He takes slow, deep breaths, and closes his eyes. 

"Good job baby, so good. That's it. That's it, darling. I love you, I love you so much." Louis kisses his forehead, and then he's sitting down on the couch, cradling Harry into his lap. 

Harry let's a few tears slip from his eyes as he tucks his face in Louis' neck, tiny hands fisting his shirt. Louis' warmth overcomes him, and he inhales his scent, sighing as the familiar smell fills his airways, replacing the all too familiar medicine with it. Home, Harry thinks. Louis is home. He's rubbing his back gently with one hand, massaging the back of his head with the other. He mumbles sweet words into Harry's ear, soothing him in a way no one else can. After a while, Harry sniffles and he moves to look up at Louis. Louis smiles at him and lifts his other hand where it has moved to lay on Harry's hip, to place it on the side of Harry's face, touch sweet, delicate. He kisses his forehead, fingers interwining with Harry's curls, his thumb circling his cheekbone. 

"You scared me to death, Haz. Please tell me when something's wrong next time. I can't stand it when you're hurting." He says as they press their foreheads together. Harry nods, and Louis presses a tender kiss to his lips. 

When they part, their breaths intertwine, green meets blue again, and Harry thinks he couldn't get luckier.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I hope you liked it! x


End file.
